Test of Love
by RoyalBlue13
Summary: Read TEST OF STRENGTH first please! :) Ten years have passed since Sarah and Jareth worked together to break the Goblin King's curse, and the two still see a lot of each other. Now Jareth has something on his mind, but can he say the right words? And what will Sarah say this time? (Literally just all JS)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Here it is, as promised! I know I said "oneshot", but once I started planning it out, I realized it had to be a bit bigger than one chapter...more accurately, eleven pages. So call it a sequel, an epilogue, whatever you want, just tell me what you think!**

 **Without further ado, please enjoy Test of Love...**

He always tried to look his best. Even on the days that he never left the castle, he wore nice jackets and pressed pants. Even though some days it was only the disgusting, warty, and occasionally smiley goblins that saw him, he always wore eye makeup and polished boots. But on this day, he didn't have to look his best.

He had to look _better_ than his best.

For about the thousandth time, Jareth ran a brush through his long, wild blonde hair, but it wouldn't cooperate. He slammed it down on the dresser and looked back into the mirror in front of him. He was wearing his normal white eyeshadow, a silk black shirt that showed a bit of his chest- _Is this too much? I don't want her feeling uncomfortable._ \- a soft, red leather jacket, light gray pants that weren't nearly as tight as some other pairs he owned, and a pair of black boots that went up to the middle of his calves. He must've shined them at least twenty times. Under those boots were what Jareth had deemed his lucky socks. They were dark purple and there was a small hole in the right one. He forgot exactly what made them lucky, but for some reason they were. And today he was going to need all the luck in the universe to be on his side.

He was about to pick up the hairbrush again, though by this point it was sure to be a pointless battle, when a clock in the hall chimed loudly. "Damn!" Jareth exclaimed. "I'm going to be late!" In the blink of an eye, he magicked himself into the Gardens and grabbed a handful of flowers. _These were the ones she liked best._ Another flash and he got a wave of dizziness. _Too much teleporting, too quick._ He brought a hand up to his head as his eyes scanned his surroundings. He was standing in front of the gates of the Goblin City. In front of him were the twists and turns of the Labyrinth. But it was what _wasn't_ in front of him made his stomach knot up. _Didn't I tell them to be here early? I must've said it at least twice._

He started to shuffle a foot, nervously. Time seemed to slow to a standstill. His mind started to wander. "...What am I even going to _say?"_ Jareth began to pace, unconsciously. "It all seemed so _simple_ when I thought this all up: go to the show, bring her here, and then just _say it._ Just say 'Sarah, I am...I'm…' I am doomed.

"Maybe...Maybe I shouldn't go. Just tell her that something came up and I couldn't...No. No, no, no, I've gone to every one of her plays for ten years. I can't back out and I can't put this off. One more day of this I'm going to start tearing my hair out. I have to do this. I've got to just stop overthinking and tell her-"

"Yer Majesty?"

He spun around on his heels with shock. Four creatures were in front of him: A large, brown behemoth that towered over even him, a fox dressed in a somewhat pirate-like outfit complete with an eyepatch and feathered hat, a black and gray dog that acted as the fox's transportation, and a wrinkle-faced dwarf with a few jewels attached to his belt.

"Were you...talkin' to yerself?" Hoggle continued.

He could feel the color drain from his face a bit. "I was...how long have you been...Nevermind! Where have you been? I'm late as it is. I was about to leave."

"Our sincerest apologies, my liege," Sir Didymus said with a slight bow. "I am afraid we lost our way. The walls change so often, it's rather hard to get to where one is going."

As much as Jareth wanted to say more, he couldn't argue that fact and time was not on his side. He formed a crystal in his hand almost effortlessly and tossed it to Hoggle. The dwarf juggled it clumsily before finally getting a grip. "Don't let anything catch on fire while I am away."

"Of course, your Highness," Sir Didymus told him.

With that, Jareth left his world behind and materialized in the theater. Thankfully, the lights were already out. He found an end seat towards the back and sat down with the flowers in his lap. After making sure that the woman next to him was too distracted by her... _What are these moronic things called again? Cell phones?,_ he waved his hand to clean up the bouquet and tie a silver ribbon around it. As soon as he did, the curtain opened and the stage light up like a star. Sarah Williams stepped out a minute later, as beautiful as ever.

That didn't do his nerves any favors.

* * *

Sarah was still catching her breath as her castmates ran out on stage to take a final bow, group by group. _Holy cow, I can't believe I gotta do all this again tomorrow._ Twice. She finally walked out with a grin and took a bow. The crowd was up on their feet in thunderous applause. She joined hands with the others and they took a bow together as the curtain closed. She took another sigh of relief. It was always a good feeling when a performance went off without a hitch.

Sarah walked through the cast backstage in heels that she still really never got used to until she reached her dressing room. After shutting the door, she took a seat at the white dresser and large mirror. A twenty-five-year-old woman was staring back at her. Her cheekbones had a little blush to them, her eyebrows had been painfully waxed, and her lips were shining with gloss. She also had on light purple eyeshadow and mascara, but most of the eyeshadow had faded with time. She was dressed in a maroon gown with black heels.

Sarah grabbed a makeup wipe and closed her eyes to get off the remaining eyeshadow. But before the wipe could touch her skin, a pair of somewhat bony hands covered her eyes. "Guess who," whispered a British voice in her ear. She couldn't help but smile.

"Grandma, what soft hands you have." Sarah joked.

"All the better to hold you with, my dear."

The hands came off and she saw a long-haired blonde man resting his head on her shoulder. "You know, you really should consider knocking," Sarah told him. "I could've been changing."

"Sarah, the fact that you could be changing is the very reason I _don't_ knock." He smirked. Just looking at the devilish look made her grin a bit. _Why is it that whenever I should be mad at him, I can't be?_

"Besides," Jareth began. "You've only been in here no more than five minutes. You didn't even get the stage makeup off." He waved his hand and suddenly, she was dressed in a simpler dark blue dress with only mascara, base, and just a bit of blush on her cheekbones.

"Are we...going somewhere?" she asked. Over the years, it had become the norm for her and Jareth to go somewhere after her performances. It started as trips to the Labyrinth, but eventually evolved into a nice dinner or sometimes a movie. To be honest, Sarah liked showing Jareth her world just as much as he seemed to enjoy taking her to his.

"Have you made plans?" he asked. Sarah couldn't help but noticed that he looked a little nervous about that possibility.

"No, no. I just didn't know that you did. What did you have in mind?"

The devious smirk came back quickly. "Well, I thought it would be a nice idea to take you to-"

The door thundered open and both she and Jareth noticeably jumped.

"Sarah, we have to leave right now or we'll be _crushed!"_ shouted the young woman. Her auburn brown hair went to her mid back and had a white streak in it. Her face was decorated with a few freckles she never grew out of, but what really stood out was her bright green eyes.

Sarah jumped to her feet. "What, why, what's going on?"

"Because you just brought the _house down, girl!"_ She started to laugh and clap her hands happily. "Wow, I can't believe you took that seriously."

Sarah mentally whacked herself in the head and sat back down. "Very funny, Fran. You're a real comedian."

"Oh, come on." Fran smiled. "I bet Jareth thought it was - _Jareth!"_

The Goblin King didn't even have a second to react before he was tackled in a hug fueled by pure insanity. _That_ Sarah found funny.

"Hi!" Fran exclaimed, crushing his ribcage. "It's been _forever_ since I saw you. How's the Labyrinth? How are Hoggle and the gang? Oh, you smell nice. Do you have cologne on?"

"You know he'd probably be more open to a game of Twenty Questions if you let him breathe a little more," Sarah suggested.

"What? Oh, yeah, I'm sorry, Jare. Got a little excited."

"I can see that," Jareth told her. "It's nice to see you as well. As for the Labyrinth, it is doing fine as are its inhabitants...assuming nothing catastrophic has happened since I left. And no, the only thing I did was bathe."

"Well whatever soap you use, I need some in my life." Fran finally looked back at Sarah. "But really, you were _phenomenal._ That was one of the best you've been in. I'm like kicking myself for not bringing some flowers."

"Speaking of which."

Sarah looked back at Jareth and her eyes widened to see him holding out a group of purple flowers with curly-straw like stems. "Aww, that's so sweet." _Stop blushing, stop blushing, stop blushing…_ She took them gently and smelled them. "Oooh, they're the lavender smelling ones I like. What are they called again?"

"Spindles."

"Spindles," she parroted. Sarah drank in the smell before speaking again. "They're beautiful. Thank you."

"Ooohh," Fran cooed with a goofy look on her face. "Did I see Cupid fly by?"

Jareth started to shuffle a foot- _Since when has he done that? -_ and Sarah glanced at Fran. After a second, she seemed to catch on.

"Well, I should probably go," she began. "I have a thing to...I gotta...floss. Dentist says so. Nice seeing you again, Jareth. Don't be a stranger. Sar, how bout you call me tomorrow and we'll see about getting lunch sometime?"

"Will do. Glad you could make it."

Fran walked out the door but Sarah could've sworn she winked at her before she left. _...My friends are weird. But I guess that's why I like them._ "What were you saying, Jareth?"

"Hmm?" Apparently, he'd been in another world for a moment. "Oh yes. I thought I could, perhaps, take you to see-"

Sarah's phone started singing in her purse. She recognized the ringtone quickly. "I'm sorry, that's my dad. Do you mind?"

"No, go ahead."

"Thanks." She got up and dug into her purse that was hanging up on the coat rack. _Man, I gotta clean this out. Here it is!_ "Hi, Dad. I thought you were here, why don't you just come back and see...what was that?"

 _"_ _I said Toby and I were there, but he got sick about halfway through. I think he caught the flu from Karen."_

"Oh no. That sucks. No school Monday, then?"

 _"_ _Well, we'll see how he holds up tomorrow. From what we saw though, you were really good, honey. Sorry we couldn't stay."_

"Oh, don't worry about it. You just got to take care of Karen and Toby, okay? I love you guys. Tell them both to feel better."

 _"_ _We love you, too, Sarah."_

She quickly hung up and tossed it back into her abyss of a purse. "Apparently Toby's got the flu from Karen."

"Oh, poor lad, hope he gets better."

"Probably just a twenty-four-hour bug. So," She clapped her hands a little and gave Jareth an amused smirk., "third time's the charm. What are we doing tonight?"

Jareth gave her a grin that read, _Well, before anything else happens,_ and gestured to the mirror on her dresser. "Perhaps it would be easier if I simply made it a surprise."

"In the Labyrinth?"

"Has a mirror even taken you somewhere else?"

"Alright, so it was kinda a dumb question." She walked back over and did her best to get on the dresser in heels. Jareth gave her a hand up. "This better not lead to the Bog of Stench."

"Now, Sarah, would I do that to you?"

"Yes. You have. Six times...no, seven."

"Really? Seven times? I'm getting predictable."

"Jareth."

"Well this is not one of those times. Especially not in this dress."

She held his gaze just to make _sure_ he wasn't going to try anything. Over the years, Sarah had gotten fairly good at reading his face. Shrugging a little, she stuck her left foot into the now liquid-like glass and walked through the portal.


	2. Chapter 2

Jareth held his smirk until Sarah had vanished through the glass entirely. The second she had, his head felt like a volcano about to erupt. He brought his hands up to his head and rubbed at his temples. _How many obstacles are going to hurl at me today? First Fran barged in, then her father called. I could barely get a word in! It's like the universe just_ really _doesn't want me to do this._

Though it was meant somewhat jokingly, that dark thought quickly clouded his mind. _...Could this be a sign? Is this trying to tell me that if I keep going, it will only end in disaster?_ The mere idea of things not working out as he hoped was enough to make the mighty Goblin King quake in his boots.

But Sarah had already gone through the mirror. This was his only chance to make the day special, no matter the outcome. With that in mind, he took a deep breath, ran one hand through his hair, and followed her through the mirror.

* * *

"Lady Sarah is certainly a very talented actress. Do you agree, Sir Hoggle?...Sir Hoggle?"

"Wha?" Hoggle's head snapped to look at Didymus. "Oh, yeah, yeah, sure." In all honesty, he had no idea what the fox had said, but he usually ignored him anyhow.

"I say, you seem to be a bit distracted." Didymus observed. "May I ask what is on your mind?"

Hoggle hesitated for a moment before asking, "Did either of ya think that Jareth was actin'...strange?"

Ludo nodded slowly. "King jumpy."

"Indeed," Didymus began. "He seemed to be very anxious about something. From what I caught from his conversation with...himself...he must have some very big plans in the works."

"Like what?" Hoggle asked. "What could be Jareth be plannin' that's making him that squirrely? You saw 'em! He was pacin' 'round, talking to himself! I ain't never seen him in such a state. What could possibly...What? What's that look on yer face for?"

While he'd been talking, Sir Didymus's face had suddenly formed a sneaky smile. "You are aware that for some time now, his Majesty has been spending a lot of time with Lady Sarah?"

 _What's she got to do with this?_ "Yeah. I mean, he don't come back for a while after her shows end, so they must be doin' somethin'."

"And sometimes she comes here," Didymus agreed. "In fact, I believe that the King had said that he was planning on bringing her back here after her performance tonight." Hoggle replayed what they'd heard from Jareth before he'd seen them and remembered that he was right. "And he was going to tell her something. Now clearly that something is making him very nerv-"

"Oh, can ya get to the point? We ain't gettin' any younger."

"Very well." Didymus was still smiling. "I believe that tonight is the night when his Majesty is finally going to profess his love to Lady Sarah?"

"...Wuv?" Ludo asked innocently.

 _"What?"_ Hoggle got to his feet, "Oh come on, you been smellin' that Bog fer too long! Profess his _love?_ What makes ya think he'd do something like that?"

Didymus looked at him for a moment, as if the answer was obvious. "Well...because he loves her."

"Bah!"

"Does thou not see the way he looks at her when she is near?"

"That don't mean-"

"Or hear him laugh?"

"..Well, he-"

"Surely, you must have seen how much more he smiles since she's been around."

Hoggle's mouth just kind've hung open for a minute while he tried to think of something to say. Unfortunately, this was a rare moment when Sir Didymus was actually making sense.

"But," the fox got to his feet, "if you still do not believe, then why don't we go find Lady Sarah and his Majesty?"

And just like that, the moment was gone.

"...Er...where?" Ludo asked, his ears flopping a little as he cocked his head to the side.

"Why, I'm certain that if my suspicions are correct, we shall find them in the most romantic place in the kingdom."

That snapped the dwarf out of his trance. "Hold it! Y-yeh can't mean-"

"I do, indeed. Come along, then. " Didymus had mounted his "steed" and started down a nearby path The ground shook a bit as Ludo got to his feet and followed loyally.

 _….He's gone even crazier!_ Hoggle ran as fast as his stubby legs could carry him and blocked Ambrosius from continuing. "You know we ain't allowed _there!_ Jareth finds ya there, yer Bogged! No, yeh're not Bogged, yer _dead!_ Ain't no one _ever_ allowed _there!"_

"Hmm, true. I usually am not one to break the law." Didymus seemed to ponder this for a moment. Hoggle thought he might be getting through his thick skull. "But in the name of love, I shall press on!"

Hoggle blocked them again as the sheepdog tried to go around him. "Are you totally insane? They might not even be there! But if _you_ are, Jareth'll catch yeah!"

"Why, Sir Hoggle, I thought you were long past your fear of the king."

"…I _am,_ " the dwarf defended. "But that doesn't mean we oughta go _lookin'_ fer trouble! Why would ya want to take that risk?"

Didymus's eyes seemed to shine a bit more and his voice became softer. "Because, Sir Hoggle, love is one of the rarest things in the world. For some it is harder to find than the castle in the Goblin City. Some, sadly, never discover it. So do believe me when I say that I consider it a great honor for there to be even a chance that I shall be able to see our ruler and our dear friend Sarah finally admit that they have found it within each other. Now, are you going to come along?"

Hoggle stood there for a moment, still taking in his words. And for a minute, he seemed to forget that he was a coward at heart. Because the next thing he said was a quiet, hesitant, "Alright."

Didymus lit up. Ludo smiled as well, but he honestly wasn't entirely sure of what was going on.

Sense came back like a brick to the face and Hoggle pointed at the fox. " _But!_ If we get caught, this was _your_ idea. And we stay on the _outside_ unless we see them! I really doubt they're even there. And I'm _only_ comin' to prove to ya that Jareth _ain't_ in love with Sarah!"

"Huzzah! Onward, then."

 _How do I get myself into these things?_

* * *

Sarah had sort've expected to end up in the castle beyond the City, maybe the Throne room. Every time Jareth brought her there, she couldn't help but envy him a bit. Every inch of the castle was dripping with elegance: the candelabras hanging on the wall, the silk curtains, the golden paint on the walls, the sparkling diamond of a chandelier that hung in the dining hall, and just everything about the ballroom… Sarah couldn't think of anything that could top it.

What was in front of her now made the castle look like a shack.

The first thing she noticed was the sweet, calming smell coming from every direction. Next, the sound of water trickling down into the large fountain in the middle of the new place. It had three pools of water towered on top of each other, each overflowing into the one below it . A few jets of water would spurt out once in a while from the bottom. But the fountain barely held Sarah's attention.

All around her were trees, towering high over her head. The branches were swirled and twisted, with all different shapes over leaves on them, or flowers, or fruits. _I've never seen anything like these,_ she thought. She walked along the trees when she saw something that was all too familiar.

Peaches.

 _Huh. I guess he has to get them from somewhere. I always kinda thought he just...magiced them, or something._ She reached out and touched the soft fuzz on one of the fruits.

"I wouldn't if I were you."

Her hand jumped and she turned to see Jareth approaching her with a smirk. "After the last time, I'm surprised you haven't lost your taste for them. They are easier ways to get me to dance with you, you know."

She returned the smirk as he came to stand be her side. "What took you? Checking your hair in the mirror?"

"Naturally."

Sarah rolled her eyes a bit when she remembered her surroundings. Wonder returned to her eyes. "Where are we?"

He gestured to the amazing space. "These are the Royal Gardens. Where else did you think I got all those flowers for you?"

"I always figured you just kinda...made them out of air! I mean, your a magical being, not a gardeneer. I didn't know you had such a green thumb."

"Well it's nice to know that even after all this time, I can still surprise you. Do you like it?"

"Like it? It's amazing. I've never seen anything like it. How come you never showed me this before?"

"I thought it would be a nice surprise." She felt his hand gentle interlock with her own and they started to walk along, slowly, taking time to look at it all. Sarah looked around when she noticed something she hadn't. "Jareth? Why is the Garden surrounded by a giant hedge?"

He followed her gaze. "Oh, yes. Well, you see the only way to keep this Garden as nice as it is now is to ensure that no drunken, moronic, occasionally-weapon-wielding goblins out of it. The rest of the kingdom as well."

Sarah was about to say something about how that was kind of unfair, but thought for a minute. ... _Well they_ can _be pretty crazy. I mean, two seconds in here, and the goblins would tear all of this to pieces. Same goes for the Fierys,,,Everyone needs their own special space, I guess. And this is so_ beautiful!

"What are these called?" She asked, pointing down to a bunch of carnation-looking red and yellow flowers.

"Ailadrodds. They actually do a very interesting trick." Jareth let go of her hand and crouched down closer to the plants. "Hello, Sarah," he said loudly to them.

And just like mouths, the flowers opened and shut to say in child-like voices, _"Hello, Sarah."_

Sarah covered her gaping mouth with her hand. "They talk!"

"I thought you would like that." _Stop blushing! And stop being embarrassing over...oh, screw it, they're talking plants! That's just cool!_ "Want to try it yourself?"

"Sure," Sarah said calmly, though her mind was shouting , _Yes, yes, yes, yes!_ She got down lower and found that these flowers didn't really have a smell. "Umm...Hello, flowers."

 _"Umm….Hello, flowers."_

"This is so cool," she told Jareth with a grin.

 _"This is so cool."_

"Yes, but they can get a bit annoying after a while," he replied as they both stood back up.

 _"Yes, but they can get a bit annoying after a whi-"_

"Shall we move on?"

Sarah nodded and they started walking again. Everything about the Royal Gardens was so peaceful, calm, and-

"Oh!" Sarah stopped and looked at Jareth, who had jumped a little from her outburst. "Sorry. I just remembered something."

"Don't tell me you have to leave so soon." He said it with his default smirk but Sarah could see the nervousness in his mismatched eyes. _What's up with him? He's never so jumpy. Especially not with me._

"No, no, I've got nothing else to do today," she told him again. "I forgot to tell you. We took Toby to the zoo last weekend, Karen and I, and guess who we saw? Your old friend, Lulu!"

"Really?" He brightened at the thought of the monkey. "How is she?"

"She's grown up a lot since the last time I was there. Do you ever go see her?"

He shook his head. "Not since she was just a baby and just arrived at that zoo. Don't want to risk getting caught on one of those umm...what are those called? They're used for surveillance, things like that."

"Cameras. Good idea. A strange, glittery man with long hair and crazy clothes suddenly appearing in the monkey exhibit might give a zookeeper a heart attack."

"She probably forgot about our little adventure,anyway. She was so little, after all."

Sarah's grin broadened. "Oh, I wouldn't be so sure. Fran says that when she goes there, Lulu still comes up to her." Her voice turned sing-song. "And guess whaa-aaat? She's still got your bee-eell."

He rolled his eyes a bit. "Oh, that stupid thing. You won't ever let me live that down will you?"

"Nope." He sighed a little and she couldn't help but giggle. "I thought it was cute. She really bonded with you. You made her really happy, and no wonder. I mean, you were the first friend she ever had besides Fran, considering she was in a labra…" Her face fell as she realized what she was about to say. Jareth did the same. _Damn. Why did I bring that up?_

"Yes, it is nice to know that she's safe and happy considering where she started out," Jareth said. His voice had lost some emotion. Sarah was mentally kicking herself for mentioning such a dark topic when they'd been having such a nice time. Even though it was years ago, those weeks where Jareth was trapped in his owl form were far from happy memories. Since it happened, neither of them had spoken about it. _Great job killing the mood._

But when she looked at him again, she caught the hint of a smile on his thin lips. "What are you thinking about?"

"Well your mention of Lulu made me recall the play you were in at that time," he explained in a lighter tone. "Don't tell me you've forgotten, dear Beatrice."

She smiled with relief as memories of that performance bubbled up in her mind. " _Much Ado About Nothing._ I can't believe you still remember that."

"Remember? For your information, that just so happens to by my favorite of all the performances you've been in. It was the one that gave you the confidence to get where you are today. Now look at you: a very popular actress with her own dressing room."

"I'm all grown up, I guess."

"Well, let's not start talking crazy."

She gave him a light push on the arm as he laughed a little.

"You really are extremely talented, though," Jareth told her.

"Thank you. I've had a passion for acting for as long as I can remember. I never wanted to be anything else. This sounds cheesy, but every time I walk out on the stage...those are some of the happiest moments of my life. I can only think of one other thing that tops that feeling I get."

She was grinning broadly now, looking back on all those wonderful times. But it faded a bit when she looked back at Jareth's eyes. There was so much nervousness in them. _What in the world can be going on in his head that's making him like this? What's scary enough to make the Goblin King lose his confidence?_


	3. Chapter 3

Jareth hadn't worn gloves in he didn't know how long. For quite a few years, they'd been buried in one of his large closets, totally useless. But at the moment, he was wishing he'd worn a pair to conceal his sweaty palms. His heart was beating so quick, as if it was just one constant beat with no break. His mouth was dry and his stomach was starting to feel a little sick. _Maybe this isn't the right time,_ he thought. _It won't come out right if I try it in this condition. And I can't mess this up. I_ can't.

 _But I can't back out now. I've already shown her the Gardens, and this is where I want to do it. If I take her here again, it won't be special anymore because she will have seen it already! And I can't put myself through all this again. If I don't do it today, I might not ever do it._

 _And that's not an option._

 _...But what if she...doesn't want to? She's so happy with her life as it is. She's a fantastic actress and she's got her family and Fran. Why would she give that up? How can I ask her to?_

 _...But I have to do it. No matter the outcome, if I don't do it, I will drive myself_ mad _wondering what could've happened._

"Jareth?"

He was snapped out of his internal debate and saw concern in Sarah's face.

"Are you okay?" she asked. "You seem kind of off today. You're real quiet."

He forced the smirk on his face to avoid suspicion. "Just taking in the scene. The sun is starting to go down." He gestured to the gorgeous sky, which was a wonderful mix of shades of oranges, pinks, and yellows. A few small, puffy clouds were scattered around.

"It's really beautiful. But are you sure you're feeling okay? You're kinda pale."

"...I'm sure it's nothing." He mentally kicked himself for not being able to think of something better.

"Well just to be safe why don't we sit down in the grass?" she suggested.

They were in the middle of the Garden, near the fountain. They got down on the ground and sat comfortably in the soft grass. Any other day, Jareth would be worried about the dirt on his pants. But that was the last thing on his mind.

"That cloud looks like a cat," Sarah told him, pointing up to the sky. "Don't you think?"

He followed her finger, thankful for the quick distraction. "I see a rabbit. Don't you see the long ears?"

"No, that's the tail."

He laughed for a second. She never failed to make him do that somehow. But it was going to be getting dark soon, Jareth realized. And once it was dark, Sarah would probably want to leave soon after. _It's now or never._ With that, Jareth looked at the grass and took her hand gently. He felt her gaze on him but couldn't look up. Swallowing with difficulty, he started to speak. "...Sarah...do you like it here? In the Labyrinth?"

"Yeah, of course I do. Every time I see it, there's something amazing I haven't seen."

"And...even though we sort've got off on the wrong foot to begin with, you...you do...like me?"

He got a chill up his spine as her soft hand touched his cheek. She gingerly lifted his head up so he had no choice but to look in her eyes. She had a confused and maybe somewhat worried look on her face. "Of course I do, Jare. Why would you ask that? You've been one of my closest friends for, what, ten years? You're funny, smart, and you're never too busy to give me a hand when I need it. Hell, I probably wouldn't have gotten _half_ the roles I've played if it wasn't for you always helping me. Remember _Much Ado?_ You said that was what gave me my confidence, right?" He gave a slight nod, not sure where she was going. She brought her hand off his face and took his other hand. "...Jareth... _you_ gave me confidence."

 _Don't. Fraggin._ Blush.

They stared at each other for a minute that felt more like an hour, ignoring the rustling bushes to the side. This was it. No matter what, he _had_ to do it. "Then...then would you...I know it's insane to ask, especially with you acting...but do you...I really…" _Spit it out, you fraggin' moron! You're blowing it!_

* * *

Hoggle's legs were killing him by the time they'd reached the large hedges surrounding the Royal Gardens. They were taller than probably two Ludo's. _If he catches us. - if Jareth is even_ here, _that is - he'll make himself a new pair o' boots out of my skin! Why in Bog's name am I even doin' this?_

Sir Didymus dismounted Ambrosius and started to push away some hedge so they could see inside. Everything in his mind was telling him to go back. At any second, Jareth could appear and they'd be caught trespassing on the _one place_ they couldn't be in.

"Sawah," Ludo said simply, having gotten on his knees to see into the Gardens.

 _...Sarah? She's really in there?_ Curiosity got the best of him and he went to stand next to Sir Didymus. _No way that crazy fox is really_ right.

"Indeed, brother Ludo," Didymus began. "But keep thy voice down. We do not want Lady Sarah or his Majesty to see us."

Sure enough, Jareth and Sarah were standing near the fountain. Jareth looked as white as a sheet and he kept wiping his hands on his pants for some reason. _He looks like a wreck. What's gotten into...oh, no, no, no! Didymus can be right about them bein' here, but ain't no fraggin' way is he right about Jareth lovin' Sarah! And even if he did...which he_ don't! _'Cause he's_ Jareth!- _Sarah don't feel that way!_

 _...Right?_

"Listen," Didymus began. "The King is speaking. Thank heavens, I thought we would be too late to hear him say it."

"He ain't gonna say nothin'." Hoggle argued futilely.

"Then why are they in the most romantic place in the whole kingdom?"

 _"_ _Shhh."_ Ludo ordered.

Hoggle leaned in a little closer to hear them, as did the other two. Underneath the hole they'd made was a bunch of short, yellow flowers. They'd missed part of what Jareth was saying.

"And...even though we sort've got off on the wrong foot to begin with, you...you do...like me?" he asked.

 _Is he...holdin' her hand?_ Hoggle was torn between gagging and...no, it was just gagging.

His eyes widened as Sarah cupped their ruler's cheek and answered the question. The more she spoke, the wider the dwarf's eyes got. _She...really care about him, don't she? And I guess...he likes her the same way._

 _...Can he really love her?_ Really?

 _I know Jareth's been different ever since he came back from that curse way back when. He comes outta the castle more and stopped wearing gloves. And I don't think I've been chucked into the Bog since! I know he changed, and I'm sure Sarah had lots to do with that...but_ love?

His jaw dropped as he heard what the Goblin King was asking Sarah. The slight breeze blew the pollen from the flowers under them into their faces, but none of them moved a muscle.

For a minute, all was silent.

...And then that minute ended horrendously as Ludo started to wrinkle his nose up and take in sharp, quick breaths. Hoggle looked over and realized what was about to happen. _No!_ He quickly reached over to try to stop it, but it was too late.

"aaaAA _CHHOOOO!"_

* * *

Sarah Williams had beat the most difficult Labyrinth in the history of forever at the young age of fifteen. It was one of the most difficult things she'd ever had to do, and yet even with that in mind...

Trying to understand just _what_ the Goblin King was trying to say had quickly become the most difficult, confusing task she had ever tried to accomplish.

 _Why would he ask if I like him or not? One would think I wouldn't spend ten years of my life with him if I didn't_ like _him. He's never like this. What is going_ on?

He seemed to get a bit of relief when she told him how confident he'd made her and how much he meant to her. Jareth started to run his thumb up and down one of her hands and released the other.

"Then...then would you...I can't believe I'm even…"

"What are you trying to tell me?" she asked softly. He was really beginning to scare her.

He swallowed visibly and took a deep breath. "Then would you...stay?"

"...What?"

"Would you stay here in the Labyrinth? With me?" With a slightly shaky hand, he formed a crystal. It melted away just as quick, leaving a small item in his palm:

The most beautiful ring she'd ever seen in her life.

It all came together to hit her in the face: His weird behavior, the romantic gardens, the setting sun, everything.

"You are...the craziest, most infuriating, most wonderful person I have ever met in my entire life," Jareth continued. "Every time I see you, you never cease to amaze me. You are, without contest, the most beautiful thing not only in this Garden, but in the entire world. And anyone who thinks different should be tossed into the Bog for eternity.

"Being the spoiled royal that I am, I thought I had everything, you know. But in the time we've known each other, I've realized that the only thing I have needed and will ever need in my life is you at my side. I can't live without you."

He changed positions so that he was now kneeling on one knee. "Sarah...will you marry me?"

For probably the first time in her life, Sarah was speechless.

Everything was silent. Everything else melted away. The whole world fell down. All there was was those mismatched eyes staring into her, waiting for some sort of response.

"aaaAA _CHHOOOO!"_

...And a sneezing hedge.

Jareth looked over towards the sound, but Sarah didn't move. She barely noticed it.

"What in Bog's name are you three doing here?" he shouted, getting to his feet. It was like she was hearing him through the other end of a tunnel. She looked at the ring he was holding tightly between his fingers.

"Yer majesty," came Hoggle's distance voice. "I promise ya there's an explanation for all 'o this….it was all his idea!"

She could vaguely hear him and Didymus start to argue and saw Jareth march over to them. The shock slowly wore off and she was eventually able to think straight. Her mind went back to when she first met the Goblin King all those years ago. He was arrogant, selfish, deceitful, and a bit tyrannical even. She remembered hating him when she ran the Labyrinth. Well...hating might be too strong but it was a very strong, deep dislike.

Then she made her way into the castle and found him in the Escher Room. Even though it was so long ago, she could still hear the tone of his voice as he asked her to stay with him. And she remembered saying those words, which were the right words at the time.

The next time she saw him, trapped as a simple barn owl, things began to change. Sarah began to learn more about him, and he started to change. He helped her with her play and started to shed some of his arrogance. He started to transform.

Before she could stop it, an image flashed before her eyes, one she'd long locked away: Jareth, who was still stuck as an owl, was cradled in her arms. His white feathers were being stained with his own blood. He was dying right before her eyes from a bullet that was aimed at her. She remembered how helpless she felt. How she would do anything in the world as long as she didn't have to lose him.

By some miracle, she didn't. But that feeling never fully went away.

She never wanted to lose him again.

And now...she didn't have to.

"Well don't let me catch you here or _spying_ on me again. Am I clear?" Jareth asked. Hoggle, Didymus and Ludo chorused an answer before leaving quickly. He walked back over with a somewhat exasperated expression and she got to her feet. "I'm sorry about that...unforeseen interruption. To be honest, I really don't know what to do with those three sometimes. You certainly have a strange taste in friends."

She swallowed hard and looked into those eyes again. She was going to say it. She was going to say the words and _mean_ them.

"...Are you alright?" he asked, concerned. His hand, the one without the ring, collided with hers again. "You look like you might faint...Do you want me to take you home? I know that you might need some...time."

"...Yes."

His face fell a bit. "Alright. Just...promise me you will tell me as soon as you have an answer? You can summon me anytime, you know, no matter what you deci-"

"No, Jareth. I mean... _yes."_ She smiled slowly. "Yes, I...I want to be with you. Forever. You mean...so much to me, I don't even know how to put it into words. You've been more than just a good friend to me, and I think I've felt like this for...a long time. I don't ever want to be without you. So even though I don't know a lot about being a Queen...yes. I will marry you."

His pupils looked like the size of quarters. "...Y...your acting," Jareth fumbled. "You love acting."

 _Is he trying to change my mind,_ Sarah thought playfully. She brought her hand up to move away a piece of hair and placed in on his cheek. "I love you more."

Like it was instinct, they leaned in, eyes closed, and allowed their lips to collide. It was so sweet and right and...perfect. As if they'd been missing something for so long but had finally found it. When they finally parted, he placed the ring on her finger and her heart flipped at the sight. _It's never coming off,_ she vowed. As they embraced each other in another passionate kiss, just the second of what would clearly be many to come, a clock sounded from the castle.

Neither of them paid it any mind.

 **A/N: Taaa daaa! So this ends the "Test of" stories. Like I said, this was** **originally** **just going to be a one-shot that showed that Sarah and Jareth** _do_ **get together after Test of Strength. The first idea was that they would both just admit their love and end on their first kiss. But as I was starting the story, I mad Jareth really nervous and realized I was setting it up more for a proposal. So, I just kinda went with it and I am VERY happy with the result!**

 **Now, before I get reviews asking for the wedding and such, that's a plot for another story. This is just the third of what will surely be MANY Labyrinth fics to come. And a LOT of JS and Jareth torture. (I am going to wait on that story though for a little bit to try to finish my other fics. But I'll always come back to this fandom.)**

 **I hope you all enjoyed this! And of course thank you for all the favs and reviews!**


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